Starting a Semester Off Right – How to Create Habits that You Can Keep Up Past January

When the New Year rolls around, many people create resolutions. Some people have reading goals, others have fitness goals, and some have sleep goals in mind. Across the board, we fail to keep these goals. Why is that?
The main reason we fail to keep these goals, is because they are too vague, and we don’t know exactly how to accomplish them. Change happens slowly, and if we would like to get closer to being that person we dream of being, we should embrace small habit changes. I am not saying that you should set your sights on lower dreams, but that you should simply map out how to get there by setting many small goals along the way.
Let’s think about an example. Say that you want to make better grades in all of your classes. In January, a good goal would be to make sure you don’t miss any homework assignments. To do this, you should make use of a good planner. Write every assignment down, check with every teacher after every class, and make sure that no matter what you never forget to do an assignment. This is a great first step to higher grades. After a few weeks you will find that this action is now a habit, so you can set a new specific goal. A good goal might be that you will study thirty minutes longer for each test. Find the time in your schedule, write down exactly when you will study, and stick to it! No exceptions. These are just sample goals: ways you can break down your goals to make them more achievable.
Another key of achieving your goals is being kept accountable. Whether it’s a parent or a close friend, tell someone else about the steps you have mapped out. Tell them how often you want them to check in, and then be honest with them! If you are serious about achieving your goals, then accountability is a must.
For the New Year, dream big! Shoot for the moon. Don’t sell yourself short. But in your process of making it all the way to your top goals, set lots of baby steps along the way. This will make sure that you will achieve what you want with your new year.

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